


Beauty's Lament

by DoctorGold88



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Charmings, F/M, Family Angst, Family Feels, Gold family angst, Heavy Angst, Von Stiltskins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-14
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-20 04:08:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/882771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorGold88/pseuds/DoctorGold88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I killed some people. Sorry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beauty's Lament

Charming knocked softly on the door, hesitating briefly before opening it. The room was pitch black save for a lamp lit dimly on the bedside table. The figure curled in the fetal position on the bed was unmoving. Compassion in his eyes, Charming walked to the side of the bed she lay on and bent until he could meet her eyes. Cerulean eyes looked back at him, eyes filled with such an anguish, it cut him to the quick. He did not speak for awhile, simply took the hand in his that rested beside her body.

He had not known her very long, had not even had what would pass for a conversation with her, but he knew of her bravery, her goodness, her light. She had saw something worth saving in the Dark One when the rest of the world condemned him. She had stood bravely beside him, taking his hand in hers, daring anyone to take her from him. David had promised Snow that he would always find her, and he had. This strong woman, now broken by grief, had swore that no matter what, she would never stop fighting for her Dark Magician.

And she never had. She had been separated from him, when he had thought her dead, and Charming had first heard of her from Rumlestiltskin himself, his  _light in an ocean of darkness,_ she had been found, her memories restored when the curse broke, and had promised him they could be together if he would put aside his need for revenge, and she had stood her ground, asserting herself as a person, free to make her own choice, the day Charming had first laid eyes on her, marvelling at her beauty, and wondering what god Rumplestiltskin had pleased to recieve the gift of this stunning woman's Love. 

The most dangerous fight for True Love, however, had come at great sacrifice. 

"Belle," 

A single tear escaped from her eye and rolled down her cheek. Her lips trembled, and she clutched his hand tighter. In the end, it had been Rumplestiltskin, who had made the greatest sacrifice of True Love for his Beauty. When all hope had been lost, when it seemed there was nothing more that could be done to save the town of Storybrooke, it was Rumplestiltskin, who had made a final deal.

He had not told Belle what he was doing, of course, knowing that she would vehemently deny this final option, and that looking into her eyes, he would be unable to deny her, not for his son, not for the Charmings, not for the town. So, he had left her in the dark, making preparations for her and his son's comfort, reassuring himself over and over what he did was for the safety of those that he loved best.  

Rumplestiltskin. The Dark One. The most feared immortal in all of the two realms, was dead. 

Having used all of the power that he had left, the cursed  _monster_ he had so many times called himself, had become nothing more than the  _man_ Belle had always seen in him. It had killed him, destroying his apprentice. 

"Belle, he wanted you safe," Charming spoke softly, his voice cracking with emotion, "That was his only priority, yours and Bae's safety." Belle nodded, but did not speak right away. When she did, her voice was wet with tears, "Where is he?" she murmured, "Where is Bae?"

"Right here, Mom" he answered from the door, his hands in his pockets. turning from Charming, she held out her hands to her step-son. He came immediately to her, sliding onto the bed and enfolding her in his arms. Her tears immediately soaking his shirt wet her fingers as she gripped his shirt in a white-knuckled grip, her face pressed into his chest. He rubbed her back in a soothing motion, his chin sifting her curls on top of her head. 

Snow White followed behind Bae, walking to Charming's side and taking his hand in hers, her eyes wet as they stood almost protectively, over the two people their dark savior had loved most in the worlds. Emma brought up te rear, Henry at her side. She stood almost uncomfortably, still unused to showing an open display of affection, or emotion. Her mind, however, remembered those who had gone before them, in the final battle against Regina. Red's wolf had fallen, held in the arms of her Victor, just before Regina had blasted the killing blow to his heart. The dwarves had lost three of their own, Sneezy, Doc, and Sleepy. Grumpy was injured, but very much safe in the care of his favorite nun. Granny, incensed with grief and rage, had stood over the dead bodies of her grandaughter and her husband, and had fought fiercely, only to fall to the manic magic of Regina's insanity. 

Henry left her side and crawled into the bed behind his father, curling into his back, his arm over Neal's waist to find then clasp Belle's hand in his. Snow hesitated, then lay behind Belle, her arm going over her, intertwining with Bae's to hold her. David sat on the floor beside the bed, his hand on Snow White's back, his head resting on the coverlet. Emma followed suit, her hand holding Henry's free one, intertwining their fingers together, her head on the bed. 

For a long moment, the only sound that could be heard was the soft sobs coming from Belle, as her tears mingled with Bae's as he held her. The Charming's held the Gold's together, their family, their friends. 

"So," Belle's voice as muffled against Neal's shirt, and they strained to hear her. "It was the Beauty, that killed the Beast"


End file.
